Memory confussion

rassjrsjrrassjrsjr Mpls, Mn
edited February 2010 in Hardware
:confused: Hi, I'm totally confused and lost trying to set up my system for my memory :confused: I have a asus P5Q pro turbo mobo, Q9550 CPU, I installed 4 Kingston KHX8500D2/2gr Thinking this was going to be a plug and play type deal, Well i found out this is no true. To say the lest, I'm totally lost with setting the bios to get the 1066 out of these. I have read the mobo user guide a dozen times and have to say I'm just plain lost. I must also admit I'm a little worried I'll damage my system by not knowing what I'm doing. I'm a retired/disabled vet. and put this setup together as a dream project, And always wanted a hi end system. And for the most part had a great time doing so. I've learned more about computers in the last year then in my entire life. BUT I NEED HELP Is there any one that would be willing to give a old guy a hand with my problem before my gray hair gets grayer :) Thanks John R

Comments

  • adarryladarryl No Man Stands So Tall As When He Stoops To Help a Child. Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    To get your RAM running at 1066, you need to make the settings changes in the BIOS listed in Kingston's Memory Module spec sheet, go here: http://www.valueram.com/datasheets/KHX8500D2_2G.pdf

    You will see that the timings are 5-5-5-15 @ 2.2 volts to get 1066 speed. Otherwise, the motherboard will most likely default the voltage to 1.8 resulting in 800 speed. You will need to go into the BIOS to make these settings changes. See your motherboard manual for the BIOS path for these. Tap the DEL key on bootup to open the BIOS. Though it differs from board to board, generally with ASUS you go to the BIOS heading labeled ADVANCED. Under CHIPSET, select DRAM Timing Control and change AUTO to MANUAL. This will open up a new sub-menu where you can check/enter your RAM timings of 5-5-5-15. While there will be a host of timing options presented, you really need to only concern yourself with four: CAS (tCL), tRCD (RAS to CAS Delay), tRP (Row Precharge) and tRAS (min RAS active time). In the case of hypothetical RAM timing of 2-3-4-6, 2 = CAS, 3 = tRCD, 4 = tRP and 6 = tRAS, but in your case these would be 5-5-5-15 with 15 being tRAS. Now you must also set the RAM voltage to 2.2v. To do this, you need to go to a different section of the BIOS. So where you found ADVANCED on the main BIOS screen, this time select Ai Tweaker. Scroll down to Memory Over Voltage (using the keyboard arrow keys) to highlight it and then simply type 2.200 and hit ENTER. Scroll back up to the top where Ai Tweaker and the other main headings are, scroll right and SAVE and EXIT the BIOS. Your RAM should now be set at factory specs for 1066 speed.

    Also, there is little damage you can do in your BIOS. It will reject settings that are off the mark. If this ever happens (as in overclocking), cold boot the system, re-enter the BIOS and select Load Set Up Defaults by going to the EXIT menu (the far right hand column on the main BIOS screen). It will be the last entry in that sub-menu. Scroll to it to highlight then hit the ENTER key to save and exit. I should add that if BIOS settings are really goofed up, the bootup sequence will usually halt at a black and white print screen telling you there was a problem. At that point it will also offer you choices one of which will be Load Setup Defaults. If this happens, you can select that option and hit ENTER. This will boot your system with safe albeit not so fast settings. Alternately, you could re-enter the BIOS from that menu to reconfigure settings.
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